


Changed Child

by Skeren



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Naruto Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-17 02:48:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5851237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeren/pseuds/Skeren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karin notices things she'd somehow missed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changed Child

**Author's Note:**

> Written March of 2015 on Plurk.

She was surprised when she noticed it, that he had quick fingers and nearly soundless steps. She was more surprised at herself for noticing it, but the fact that it was even a difference, or maybe a lack of difference from what she'd gotten used to, was jarring.

He'd been clumsy, once upon a time, and she'd missed the change. Somehow, in spite of talking to him over the last several months, of getting to know him all over again... he wasn't who he'd been. Yes, he was still a sweet boy who needed her to rescue him, but-

Was it that superficial? He was sweet to her, he'd always been sweet to her, and he did what she asked him, even if he wasn't thrilled. She wasn't blind enough to miss that Suna hadn't exactly put him in a great mood. He was shy and self-deprecating, and still just... Peter. 

She hadn't really internalized the idea that he was a shinobi now. She hadn't absorbed the concept that him, her gentle, ridiculously squishy Peter, might have killed people. The idea of him being talented in the shinobi arts had entirely slipped her mind, because why would he be? He had a Hitai-ate, sure, but the Peter she knew would rather flee a conflict and let her handle it than step up into a fight, and she hadn't seen anything yet that indicated that wasn't still true. 

But.

And that was it, there was a but. He never talked about his village. He never shared what he'd been doing these last several years. He'd made no indications that he knew how his parents were, let alone if his home village was still standing. He didn't tell her about his friends, his life, he was just there, talking to her about surface things and bringing her perfect little gifts like nothing had changed in all these years.

But his hands were faster. He could catch things that were about to fall without putting in an effort. He walked with the lightness of a cat, easily fading from notice and almost even able to surprise her, even with her heightened awareness of him. He had muscle where there used to be baby fat, and he could lift things that she was sure that anyone looking at him would say he shouldn't be able to. His clothes were shinobi practical instead of civilian now...

There were so many little cues and she had to wonder if she missed it all because she didn't want to see it, or if she was waiting for him to properly show her. 

He'd gone from clumsy to nimble, graceless to graceful, weak to stronger than her, and she didn't remember a bit of it.

What else had she missed?


End file.
